Is footlong sub really just 11 inches?
NEW YORK — What’s in an inch? Apparently, enough missing meat, cheese and tomatoes to cause an uproar.
Subway, the world’s largest fast food chain with 37,000 locations, is facing widespread criticism after a man who appears to be from Australia posted a photograph on the company’s Facebook page of one of its footlong sandwiches next to a tape measure that shows the sub is just 11 inches.
More than 100,000 people have “liked” or commented on the picture, which had the caption “Subway pls respond.” Look-alike pictures popped up elsewhere on Facebook. And The New York Post conducted its own investigation that found that four out of seven footlong sandwiches that it measured were shy of the 12 inches that makes a foot.
The original photo was no longer visible by Thursday afternoon on Subway’s Facebook page, which has 19.8 million fans. A spokesman for Subway said Subway did not remove it.
Subway also said the length of its sandwiches may vary slightly when its bread, which is baked at each Subway location, is not made to the chain’s exact specifications.
“We are reinforcing our policies and procedures in an effort to ensure our offerings are always consistent no matter which Subway restaurant you visit,” read an e-mailed statement.
The Subway photograph illustrates a challenge companies face with the growth of social media sites. Before, someone in a far flung local in Australia would not be able to cause such a stir. But the power of social media means negative posts about a company can spread from small towns to locations around the world in seconds.
“People look for the gap between what companies say and what they give, and when they find the gap — be it a mile or an inch — they can now raise a flag and say, ‘Hey look at this,’ I caught you,” said Allen Adamson, managing director of branding firm Landor Associates in New York.
